Agent-of-the-Year Finalists

I am so very proud of Tamela Hancock Murray and Bob Hostetler. They have bothbeen named as finalists for the Agent-of-the-Year award given annually by ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers – acfw.com/award_recipients).

Tamela won this prestigious award in 2017 and is honored to be a finalist again.

This is Bob’s first time being a finalist; and he replied to the news in typical form, “I’m flabbergasted and bumfuddled.”

Wow. No surprise, but so well deserved. Tamela has obtained a reputation for the solicitous care and feeding of her people, and Bob should not be so bumfuddled. A great accomplishment for your agency, Steve: it appears you know how to pick the winners! Well done, all.

Congratulations, Tamela and Bob! I believe God is clapping His hands in joy.

Take the honours that are offered,
take them to your joyous heart,
take them for the days you’ve suffered
in the service of your faithful art.
Bow your head, receive the laurels,
then stand tall in measured grace.
Let them go, the strife and quarrels,
the chiaroscuro of this place.
Bathe in golden light undimmed
and bid the shadows steal away;
a foretaste of a time that’s limned
by God, the dawn of eternal day.
The dewy rose of sincere accolade
will, for your proud Father, never fade.

I can’t think of two people I’d rather see get this award. Tamela, for all the blog posts that have helped so many of us in our writing journey, even the deliberate indies like me, I want to tell you what a huge difference you’ve made for people you don’t even represent. And Bob, I look forward to your post every week for wit and wisdom. I don’t know how the judges are going to be able to choose between you.

Sincere congratulations, Tamela and Bob! Through your work on this blog, beyond what you do for your clients, you continue to educate, inform, encourage, support and improve my writing endeavors, and obviously, those of many others. If there is ever a category called “Agents +” you will be at the top of that list.

Aarrggh! Would love to be in San Antonio this September to see the outcome. Unfortunately, not happening this year. Can hardly wait for the announcement. Winners, all three. Congratulations, Steve, on your perspicacity in choosing Tamela and Bob for your team. You’re a big time winner in my book.